(In)Justice Antonin Scalia Dies

Was shocked to hear while I was at the State of Black Lives  convening that 79 year old Supreme Court (In) Justice Antonio Scalia has died of natural causes while on a hunting trip at a luxury ranch in Marfa, TX.

I have been pointing out that one of the critical issues in play in this 2016 election cycle is the Supreme Court, and with Scalia's death this just got real .

While I feel for his family and the people who loved him tonight as his body is transported back to his McLean, VA home from my home state, as you long time readers of TransGriot know, he was not one of my favorite justices on the court because of his racist comments and problematic rulings.

And that's as nice as I'm going to be about the man appointed by President Reagan to the SCOTUS in 1986.  He has been on the wrong side of history and human rights as part of a conservative SCOTUS majority rolling back or in outright opposition to laws and policies I believe are essential to advancing human rights in America..

And Clarence Thomas is now going to have to think for himself instead of just voting the way Scalia does..  

While President Obama has promised to appoint his replacement in due time, the GOP controlled Senate is going to attempt to do everything possible to stall replacing Scalia until 2017 in the hope they can win the presidency this November. .

President Obama and the Senate Democrats are going to have just as much pressure on them to get the nomination done before he leaves in January 2017 by liberal progressive groups.

Well, as I have been saying for months, the composition of the Supreme Court would be a major issue in this 2016 election cycle with four justices in their mid to late 70's .   With Scalia's death, that just became a reality and something we have to consider when we choose our Democratic Party presidential nominee.

It's just I and a lot of people didn't expect that fight to begin now with the unexpected death of Antonin Scalia..